The term maiolica appears to be derived or rather corrupted from Maiorca, one of the Balearic Islands, noted for its pottery from a very early period. It was in the 16th century called Maiorica, and subsequently Maiolica.
URBINO
Urbino was one of the most celebrated of all the Italian fabriques, and must have had by far the most trade, although no doubt many of the specimens now attributed to this city were the works of other manufactories; there are, however, a considerable number of signed and dated pieces, and the style and touch of the principal artists engaged there may easily be detected. The best known of all the keramic artists of Urbino was Francesco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo, whose works are now so highly appreciated; he usually painted after the designs and engravings of Raphael and other great masters, but seldom adhered strictly to the grouping of the originals; he also painted subjects from Virgil, Ovid, and other poets. The marks which he placed upon his works consisted of one or more initial letters of his name, F.X.A.R., but usually the X. only, or sometimes Xanto, with the date. (See Fig. 1.)
Fig. 1.—Plateau. Marriage of Alexander and Roxana.
After Raphael. Signed and dated “Xanto, 1533.”
Fig. 2.—Plateau, with Leda and the Swan in Centre.
16th Century.
Another celebrated artist of Urbino, who flourished in the middle of the 16th century, was Orazio Fontana, whose family name was Pellipario; Fontana being a name taken in consequence of several of the family being manufacturers of vases as well as artists.
